Improvement in vulcanizing apparatus



'IUNI'rED'STA'rEs jA'rENrY OFFICE BURRITT'M. nOrCnKIss, on NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT, AND GEORGE M.`

` ALLEETON, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPRVEMENTIN VULCANIZINMG APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115,207, dated May 1871. Y

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BURRrr'r M. HOTCH- Kiss, of Naugatuck, in the State of Connectiout,` and GEORGE M. ALLERTON, of the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Vulcanizin g Apparatus; and the following is declared to be a correct description of the same.

In curing or vulcanizing articles of India rubber, it has .been usual to put the material into molds and clamp them together, and introduce the said molds into a space that issuficiently heated to effect the vulcanization. In these cases the separateclamps for each mold occupy considerable space, and require time for applying and removal; besides this, the pressure is not yielding or uniform. Other presses have been made wherein a screw 4and follower, are used to press upon all the molds that may be introduced in the vulcanizing space, and these screws have either acted against the case of the apparatus or against `head-blocks held together by tie-rods outside the case. The object of `our present improvement is to furnish a ready and reliable means for applying a` constant pressure to the molds and articles in a vulcanizing apparatus, which pressure will be self-actin g to apply the proper force, but at the same time allow for expansion or contraction without change of pressure or the care of the attendant.

We make use of a cylinder and ram or piston connected with the vulcanizin g apparatus,

and connect the same, bya pipe or pipes, with 'a pump for `compressing or forcing a :fluidor liquid, so that the cylinder and ram or piston will apply to the molds the necessary pressure, and the pump may be continuously operative, and provided with an escape or pressure safety-valve and the necessary Icocks or valves, whereby the attendant simply has to place the molds inthe vulcanizing-chamber, to which the proper steam or other h'eat isapplied, and then allow the said pressure to act to keep the molds together, and that pressure will be uniform and self-aoting,`because if the molds expand the piston or ram yields, and if the material lessens in bulk the pressure will be main- Htained by the movement of the piston or ram.

In thefl drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 is an elevation, partially in section, of our said vulcanizing apparatus.

The cylinder a contains a piston or ram. We have shown the piston b passing through a packing, c, and connected with the follower or platen cl that is within the vulcanizing chamber or space e. We have shown such chamber as made with amovable cover,f, and` inlet steam-pipe g and outlet-pipe h,- but this vulcanizing-chamber may be made in any convenient manner, and adapted to work to be performed, as the heat may be steam or other heat, and the same may be admitted into the chamber containing the molds 5 or a surrounding double case or heater may be employed in vulcanizing. The pipe 7c is connected with a pump or reservoir, from which air, water, or

other liquid or fluid is admitted after the molds have been placed in the vulcanizing-chamber e to apply the proper pressure; and we remark that the size of the piston or ram b or the pressure of the iuid is to be so proportioned as to apply the proper force to the molds. The escape-pipe Zallows the pressure to be removed when the pipe k is closed, and the opening ofthe molds may be facilitated, or access be given fortheir removal by admitting presssure through the pipe n on the opposite side of the piston b.

The necessary cocks or valves are to be provided, and we remark that the yielding force acting upon the molds as aforesaid may be resisted either by the case ofthe vulcanizing-chamber or by a head-block especially provided; and the piston or ram may operate from above, below, or at either side of the vulcanizing case; and where pressure isrequired in more than one direction a second piston or ram may be employed.

A number of vulcanizing-chambers may be connected with pipes and valves orcocks with one pump operatedby power, so-as to entirely relieve the attendant of the trouble of operating screw or other clamps.

The pressure may be obtained from a column of water or other liquid, or a reservoir containing fluid or liquid under pressure may be employed as the actuating power. Y

We are aware that an apparatus has been used in which thepressure of steam generated in the vuleanizug apparatus has been employed to press the molds together, but in this case the molds could not be pressed together `until there was sufficient heat to produce the necessary pressure.

In our apparatus the pressure is exerted by `a fluid independent oi' the vulcanizing heat;

hence the molds can be adjusted and the press ure applied before the material is heated7 and the operation rendered very perfect.

We claim as our invention- A cylinder and piston outside the vulcanizin g-chamber, and 'pipes connecting with a sup- BURRITT M. HOTCHKISS.

GEO. M. ALLERTON.

Witnesses:

GHAs. H. SMITH, GEO. T. PINCKNEY. 

